


Down in the Valley

by kiwis



Series: Stark Farms [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: ASoIaF, ASoIaF Modern AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch, F/M, Game of Thrones AU, Game of Thrones Modern AU, Mild Language, Multi, asoiaf au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-30
Updated: 2016-08-07
Packaged: 2018-01-21 08:57:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1545050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiwis/pseuds/kiwis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blinded by her hunger for success Daenerys will do anything to get her family's business out of debt and back on top.</p><p>With the unexpected death of his father, Jon spirals into a life he isn't sure he wants.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first ever fanfiction, so go a little easy on me okay? I hope you enjoy! I hope to be updating at least once a week.  
> cheers

This was it.

Dany stared at her reflection in the mirror willing herself to look older. It was her first meeting with the owners of a major company and her brother would be angry if this didn't go well. She was fresh out of college with a business degree, but that didn't make Viserys take her any more seriously.

"We need this Dany," he would say, his words were soft in her ear but his touch was far from gentle. "don't fuck it up."

She smoothed her gray pencil skirt and barred her teeth while leaning closer to the mirror to make sure there wasn't lipstick stuck to them. Her white blonde hair was pulled back too tight in a top knot and her designer black heels pinched at the toes. She tried to wiggle them but the tight pain just became worse. She took one last breath and walked down an empty hallway, her heeling clicking with every step.

Pushing open the door at the very end of the hallway, Dany found herself in a small white room, the walls, tables and chairs were almost blindingly white and to top it off there was a white board at the far end of the room.

Dany found herself thinking about the red front door on the house she lived in as a kid, but she shook that memory from her mind and pushed forward. Her eyes settled on three men sitting in three of the many white chairs in the middle of the room.

"Hello gentlemen, my name is Daenerys Targaryen of Targaryen Farms Incorporated. I am so very pleased to meet you." She smiled and held out her hand.

The oldest of the group stood to meet her, he had to be past forty and balding, but still strong and fit. You could tell he had worked on a farm for most of his life.

"Jorah Mormont, pleased to meet you." Dany shook his hand with a firm grip, recognizing his name as one of the head managers and businessmen of the Dothraki Wheat Fields.

She let go of Mr. Mormont's hand and moved to shake the next. The man seated in the middle was hulking and wore his long dark hair pulled back, Dany speculated that he had to be Mr. Drogo, the owner of the farm. He did not reach out and shake her hand, but nodded towards her, never breaking his gaze.

The third man, not much smaller than Drogo put his hand forward and Dany took it.

"Rhakaro." He said in a deep voice, he shook her hand briefly before turning away.

"I am very happy that you decided to meet with me." She was feeling unwelcome, but sat down across the three men regardless, crossed her legs at the ankle, took a deep breath and began.

"Now, let me tell you what joining Targaryen Farms Incorporated can do for you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Game of Thrones, all characters belong to GRRM and HBO.


	2. The Perfect Space

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His favorite place on the whole farm, however, was the highest point of the Stark land, up in the hills behind the horse barn. Crooked chunks of an old stone wall wound it's way up and over the highest hill. Jon and his brother deemed it The Wall when they were children, and the name stuck. At the top of The Wall you could see all of the Stark farm lands and beyond. It was one of the places Jon felt at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure when the next chapter will be up, I'm traveling back to the States from New Zealand so I don't have a lot of internet access, but I do have time to write! Look for an update next week.  
> cheers

Jon looked down at his hands, blisters were starting to form from hauling bails of hay all morning. It was the height of summer, too early for the apples to be ready for harvesting, but that didn't mean there wasn't plenty of work to do. To avoid working in the heat of the day Jon was up at 4:00am every morning to milk the cows before heading to the fields. 

The farm wouldn't be hiring seasonal workers for another few weeks, so the majority of the work had to be completed by Jon, his brothers and the few year round workers his father had hired. He took a bandana out of his back pocket and wiped his forehead.

"Come on Jon, let's go down by the river for a cool down!" His brother Robb shouted from the drivers seat of his gray pickup truck, the hired farmhand Theon Greyjoy was sitting in the passenger seat looking sullen and exhausted as usual.

Jon waved them off, choosing instead to take the long walk back to the large white farmhouse that stood like a beacon on the edge of the orchard.

"See you at dinner then!" Robb peeled off, radio blasting and clouds of dust billowing behind the truck.

The sound of cicadas clattered in the air around him, he had grown used to the noise, but every once in a while, Jon would let his ears fill with the high screeching. He slowly made his way back to the farmhouse, drinking in the thick summer air.

On his right hand side there were rows of apple trees, as far as the eye could see, all perfectly aligned. Their branches intertwined with one another holding small green fruit that would be red and juicy come autumn.

The Stark family had been growing apples for generations, his father often told Jon stories of great grandfather Brandon whom built the farm with nothing more than a few dollars in his pocket and the vast amounts of land he had inherited. The orchards went on for acres, and if you didn't grow up running amongst the apple trees with your siblings, you could easily get lost between the rows of Macintosh and Red Delicious. 

On his left hand side there was a simple wooden fence, no taller than his waist, that held a small number of dairy cattle. The first barn Brandon ever built was on the edge of this pasture, it's light blue paint was faded and cracked, but the structure was still in tact and sturdy. Behind the cow pasture was a field of corn.

Once when Jon was maybe 13 or 14 years old, he hid in the corn field while Robb convinced their younger siblings that there were ghosts that roamed the fields at night. Robb lead the three younger children into the corn field just when the sun was setting. When Jon jumped out to scare them, his sister Sansa ran all the way back to the house shrieking, while Bran wrapped himself around Robb's leg silent and wide eyed, but his youngest sister Arya gave him a spirited punch in the gut telling Jon he was stupid. They all began laughing, even Bran who still clutched at Robb's leg, and they giggled all the way back to the house.

The memory made Jon smile. To this day he still thought about that moment every time he was in the corn field.

His favorite place on the whole farm, however, was the highest point of the Stark land, up in the hills behind the horse barn. Crooked chunks of an old stone wall wound it's way up and over the highest hill. Jon and his brother deemed it The Wall when they were children, and the name stuck. At the top of The Wall you could see all of the Stark farm lands and beyond. It was one of the places Jon felt at home.

You could see hundreds of cows to the east that belonged to the Lannister Dairy Farms, indistinguishable from one another, moving as if they were one, you could see the green soy and corn fields of the Baratheon's to the west, and if you squinted you could see the tall buildings of the city to the south.

If you turned and looked north there was undeveloped land, forests and hills that no one claimed as their own. When he was a boy, Jon would explore the woods with his dog, pretending that he wasn't a farmboy, but that he was an adventurer, an explorer fighting wild beasts and discovering new worlds.

When he finally reached the farmhouse there was no sign of Robb or Theon, but he could see four figures sitting on the wrap around front porch.

His sister Sansa Stark sat on the front porch swing with three of her friends, Jeyne Poole, Margaery Tyrell, and most notably, Joffrey Baratheon who, at the moment, was sporting a smug look and had his arm wrapped around Sansa's waist.

"Hey Jon, how's work?" It wasn't his sister who spoke to him, but Jeyne who looked away and blushed when he turned towards her, her hands folded neatly across a floral patterned sundress.

"Work is work. Thanks for asking." He replied moving to open the screen door and head inside

"Oh, Jon, hang on a sec?" This time, it was Sansa who spoke to him. She slid gracefully out of the porch swing and walked up to meet him at the door, but not before Joffrey had time to lightly smack her ass. Jon let the screen door slam moving to confront Joffrey, but Sansa stood before him, her blue eyes shining, warning him to leave it alone.

"Mom said something about you and Robb going down to fix the pipes in the horse barn? I think all of the equipment is in the garage. She said it will only take an hour." 

"Sure thing." He spun on his heels, exhausted by the constant demands of his stepmother.

"There's fresh squeezed lemonade on the counter for when you get back."

"Thanks." He called out to his sister. 

It was only a five minute walk to the horse barn, and when he got close enough, he could see the leak on the left hand side of the barn just beside the front door. He worked silently for about forty-five minutes before a shadow came over his face.

"Hello son, need any help?" Jon looked up to see his father standing over him. 

"Nope, I'm actually almost done. Thanks though." Jon clicked the last piece of PVC pipe into place. He stood up, wiping his hands on his jeans before turning to face his father. 

"How's business?" Jon asked, cleaning up the tools around him. 

"Oh, you know, business is business." Ned replied. 

Jon smiled at this, thinking of his own response to Jeyne Poole's question earlier. His father was a good businessman, but he was just a farmer at heart, without the ruthlessness that modern businesses required. Jon's Uncle Brandon was the one who had a sharp mind for business and he was the one who was supposed to inherit all the responsibility, but he suffered leukemia all of his life, and passed away when Jon was a baby. 

Jon's other uncle, Uncle Benjen, had joined the armed forces when he was young, leaving Jon's father, Ned, to keep the farm up and running. 

"Dad, do you have a minute to talk?" Jon slowed his pace and turned toward his father. 

"Sure, son, what's on your mind?" Ned inquired, returning Jon's gaze.

"I was wondering," Jon shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "I was wondering if you had any time to consider my plans?"

Jon watched his father's features grow stern. He put a hand on Jon's shoulder and sighed. 

"I have." Ned replied

"And?" Jon questioned.

"You are a grown man, Jon, I can't do anything to stop you. Just know that joining the service is a lifelong commitment, your Uncle Benjen has been honored as a hero of the nation, but it came at a grave price. You only know the good stories, I'm afraid there are plenty of bad stories as well." Ned looked away from Jon now, down at the ground.

"I'm ready, Dad, I really am. Robb's away at university for most of the year and Sansa is about to graduate high school! I just need to keep my options open, I don't want to be stuck here my entire life."

"Okay then, if it's what you want. I'll talk to your mother in the morning about it, right now I have to go find Bran, have you seen him?" His father asked. 

Jon shook his head.

"Ah, well, see you at supper then?" Ned smiled at him and walked off. 

Elated with the possibility of his new future, Jon walked back to the garage, stowed the tools and made his way inside. He was going to enlist as soon as he could, maybe even tomorrow afternoon. He wondered idly if he could request his Uncle Benjen as a supervisor, or at least to be stationed in the same area.

As the door slammed behind him, he heard his mother's voice calling out.

"Jon is that you? Could you come help Arya set the table for dinner?"

He shuffled into the kitchen, smelling the sweet smell of fresh cornbread and grabbed a stack of plates from the cupboard. 

"I fixed the pipe by the horse barn." He reported. 

"Oh, that's great, thank you." Catelyn smiled briefly before turning back toward the oven. Jon couldn't believe the tension between him and his stepmother, after twenty-two years she could still barely look at him sometimes. Jon opened his mouth to speak but was cut off when his younger sister Arya sprinted in. 

"Fire! THE HAY BARN'S ON FIRE!" Her grey eyes were wild with fear and her short hair was in tangles. Jon heard Catelyn gasp, and was quick to respond to his little sister.

"Go get Robb and Theon!" He ran out after Arya only to find Robb had just pulled into the driveway. Jon looked over toward the hay barn and saw an unmistakable column of gray smoke traveling into the dusky blue sky. 

He felt pressure on his shoulder and spun to see Catelyn with tears in her eyes. 

"Jon, your father... Bran... they were in the hay barn!" Jon's heart filled with dread as she said these words to him.

"Get them out, please Jon, save them."

_I want to fit into the perfect space,_  
 _feel natural and safe in a volatile place._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Game of Thrones, all characters belong to GRRM and HBO.


	3. It Goes On & On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She could tell Viserys was growing more and more impatient by the minute, but Dany forced herself not to worry about it. Yes, Viserys was the CEO, but she was also a Targaryen, and entrusted with the Dothraki deal. She was determined to make this partnership work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry this chapter took forever to update and that it is impossibly short. I am having a difficult time writing Dany's perspective. I want to try to capture her strengths and weaknesses like GRRM does, but I am finding it difficult. Good news is I am almost done with the next chapter so hopefully that will be up soon!  
> cheers

"Morning Daario." Daenerys smiled at the security guard as she scanned her ID. Her picture came up on a computer monitor alongside her name in thick letters. "How is that second son of yours doing?"

Daario smiled back at her, "Oh, he is much better now, thank you for asking."  His long hair was tied at the nape of his neck, and when he tilted his head back, the light hit his security guard shirt in a way that made his beard look almost blue, or maybe purple. 

She waved him goodbye before turning the corner and entering the glass double doors that lead to the center office of Targaryen Farm's Inc. She hated the offices, they were one floor underground, and it didn't make sense to her that a business that is about farming would be underground. 

"Andie, how are you this morning?" Dany looked down at the young secretary as she entered the small lobby. 

"Oh I'm fine Ms. Targaryen, did you have a good weekend?" The girl's golden eyes shone when she spoke, it warmed Dany's heart.

"It was quite nice, could you do me a favor Andie?"

"Anything Ms. Targaryen." Andie's shoulders straightened as she turned her full attention toward Daenerys.  

"Okay, two favors," Dany shook her head slightly, a smile creeping to her face, "Please, for the millionth time Andie, call me Dany. Or at least Daenerys."

"Oh, yes. What can I do for you Daenerys?" The name rolled awkwardly off the secretaries lips, but Dany hated being called Ms. Targaryen by her employees. 

"Can you call up Barristan Selmy? He should be out at the farms today, I want to confer with him on some points of the Dothraki deal. I need him to call me back ASAP."

"It's as good as done."

Dany nodded, and headed inside the offices. If you took all of the furniture out of it, it would just be a wide flat room. Grey cubicles were set up in rows, where most of the employees spent their time. There were a few offices that ran along the back wall which had the luxury of a door. One of them was Dany's while the other two belonged to Barristan Selmy, when he wasn't on the farm, and the third sat empty. To the right of the entrance, a small white hallway lead to Viserys' office.

Dany had just placed her purse and coat on the hook in her office and turned on her computer when her phone began ringing. She slipped off her annoying heels as she sat down and picked up the receiver.

"Targaryen Farms Incorporated, this is Daenerys." She answered mechanically.

"Come to my office please little sister, now." 

"Alright Viserys." She sighed, slipped her shoes back on and headed out of her sanctuary.

Dany stood outside of his office door, a silver name plate hung from dark oak.

_V. Targaryen_  
 _Targaryen Farms Inc._  
 _CEO_

Dany lifted her knuckles over the plaque and tapped three times.

"Come in little sister." Viserys called. Dany turned the knob, opening the door and walked into her brother's office. Viserys didn't look up at her, but was bent over his computer. Dany sat in front of him. "How did the meeting with Dothraki go?" Viserys inquired.

"It went…. well" Daenerys thought back to the meeting that had just transpired between her and the head stakeholders of the Dothraki Wheat Fields. Her hesitant response made Viserys finally address her.

"Just well?" He raised his head and looked at her with narrow eyes.

"I…I spoke to the head business manager and he agreed to let a representative come out and see the wheat fields next week to take a tour and talk more business."

"Well, that's fine, what time did you settle on?" Viserys asked.

"2:00pm on Wednesday." Dany replied, obediently as Viserys picked up his phone. "Doreah, clear my Wednesday afternoon, I'm going to the Dothraki Wheat fields with my sister to assure she finalizes the deal." He hung up without listening to his secretaries response and turned back to his computer.

A few moments passed before Viserys glanced up at her, and waved his hand dismissing her. Dany stood and turned running her hand along the heavy wooden door before closing it behind her and taking a deep breath.

After a moment, she strolled back to her own office. When she walked inside, a long sleeved black dress was awaiting her, hanging behind her desk. She hadn't had enough time to notice it this morning. She fingered the fabric between her index finger and thumb, it was pretty, yes, but awfully plain. The fabric ran through her fingers and swayed a little as she let go.

"Do you like the fabric little sister?" Dany jolted her arm away, startled by her brother's voice.

"This is Marc Jacobs?" She questioned, knowing the answer already.

"Of course, a gift from Illyrio, only the best for the occasion." Viserys was a gaunt man to begin with, but in the flourescent light of her office, he was positively ghostly.

Illyrio Mopatis had worked for Targaryen farms all of his life, he had shown dedication when he stuck by their side when the lawsuits started to come in, and Dany's father was dragged to court for years before finally ending up in jail.

Targaryen farms was one of the oldest farming business in Westeros, and had been passed down in the family for generations. Daenerys' father, Aerys, was once considered one of the brightest, best businessmen of his generation. The country painted him as a family man, a simple farmer that happened to get lucky, but that was all press, stories that were planted for good publicity.

The truth was that Aerys was committing about seven different types of fraud to keep the business running, as well as underpaying workers, and gambling the majority of his borrowed money away. There were several companies that began suing, including the Stark and Baratheon Farms. The Targaryens were able to fend off the lawyers for two years until finally Lannister Dairy filled a separate multi-million dollar lawsuit.

Dany's father cracked under pressure and confessed to everything, they could have settled, but Targaryen Farms filed for bankruptcy and the company was all but decimated, while her father rotted in jail. A few loyal supporters, Illyrio amongst them, stuck by Daenerys and her brother's side slowly bringing the family out of debt.

The sound of her brother's voice, still rambling on about the Marc Jacobs dress, brought her out of her daze.

"...and you will not disappoint, now is the time to strike. Do you understand me?" He reached over and stroked her upper arm.

"Yes, brother, I understand." Dany replied irritated. She just wanted him to leave, his overbearing presence was making her anxious. Viserys didn't say anything, but pivoted towards the door. Dany thought he heard a faint 'must be perfect' on his lips before she slammed the door shut.

* * *

Dany sat in the passenger seat of her brothers SUV as they made the forty minute drive to the Dothraki Wheat Fields. She was irritated with him because he insisted on driving with her to meet with Mr. Drogo and tour the farm.

Daenerys was irritated with herself as well for letting him push and control her. When she was away at school, she felt confident and smart, but when she was with Viserys, she reverted back to that scared fourteen year old girl sitting in the courtroom, listening to the babble of lawyers and judges. 

They had been driving for a half an hour before they came upon the expansive wheat fields that made up the Dothraki farm. The wheat moved in ripples when the wind blew, and Dany gazed out of the window until finally they came upon a crude looking barn, and then a large house sitting back from the road. 

As they approached, Dany recognized the three distinct figures standing in the driveway. Mr. Drogo, Mr. Mormont, and Rakharo were waiting for her. When she stepped down from the large car she noticed a look of confusion on the largest man of the group, she assumed, due to the presence of Viserys. 

Mr. Mormont spoke first, "I don't believe we have had the pleasure." He flicked his eyes toward Dany before inclining his head at Viserys. 

"Mr. Mormont, Mr. Drogo, this is my brother Viserys Targaryen. He owns Targaryen Farms Incorporated and is CEO of the company." Dany paused and drew in a breath, "Because this project is of utmost importance to Targaryen Farms, we both thought it would be a good idea for him to come out today to see our investment."

The men eyed Viserys suspiciously, but finally Jorah held out his hand and the two men exchanged pleasantries. 

"We will start with a tour on horseback." It was Mr. Drogo who spoke next, Dany almost jumped at the sound. She realized she had never heard him speak before. His voice was deep and warm, almost comforting. 

The five of them made their way to the horsebarn and began readying their horses. Dany was proud of herself for remembering most of the steps when saddling a horse, although Jorah did have to help her out a few times. 

Viserys on the other hand, almost refused to saddle his own horse, and nearly had a fit in the middle of the barn. Dany had never been more embarrassed. 

When she finally mounted, it felt good. Her muscles remembered all of her previous years on horseback and riding came naturally. The tour lasted almost two hours, Dany keeping her horse directly between Mr. Drogo and Jorah to ensure she would be able to ask questions. The farm was incredible, Dany found herself wishing she was able to get out to the farms more often. She didn't like being cooped up in an office building all day, that was for sure. 

She could tell Viserys was growing more impatient by the minute, but Dany forced herself not to worry about it. Yes, Viserys was the CEO, but she was also a Targaryen, and entrusted with the Dothraki deal. She was determined to make this partnership work. 

When they arrived back at the barn, Dany swung neatly off of her horse and lead the silver-grey mare back into her stall. She turned to approach Mr. Drogo, but found that the hulking man was shaking hands with her brother. 

Viserys turned towards her with a smug look on his face. 

"That's how it's done little sister." He whispered to her as he passed by, on his way back to the SUV.

Dany did a final round of hand shaking, promising she would be in touch before following her brother to the car. She opened the passenger door and the heat melted over her. 

"That went well." She said idly while Viserys started the car and began backing down the long driveway. 

"It could have gone better." he replied, glancing at her. "You must do better with the Stark deal, do whatever it takes."

Dany was baffled, the Starks held no love for the Targaryens, and no deal was ever mentioned to her. 

"What Stark deal?" She questioned, trying to sound casual. 

Viserys rolled his eyes, "God, don't you _ever_ listen? I told you yesterday, you are going to the funeral for that damn man Eddard Stark. It is being held tomorrow. Don't you remember? We need to strike now, while they are weak. Rumor has it that Ned Stark's bastard son is running the farm now. It will be easy enough to convince that young farmboy, especially while he is still grieving. 

Dany was disgusted, and before she could think better she spoke aloud "I **am not** going to make a business deal at a funeral."

A hard slap cracked across her face, and Dany felt blood trickle down her cheek. 

She didn't say anymore to her brother on the car ride home. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of the tears stinging her eyes, or the pain in her voice. 

She would go to the funeral, yes, but not for Viserys. For herself, for the company, but never again would she do anything for her brother.

_Violent is the motion in my heart and in my body and mind._  
 _And silent is the feeling that I lost but I'm determined to find._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Game of Thrones, all characters belong to GRRM and HBO.


	4. Last Station

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Damn it! Damn it all!” Jon punched his fist against the steering wheel to his truck repeatedly. Right there, he had been right there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooohooo here it is!! So I'm actually thinking of doing a spin off Arya/Gendry fic based in this same AU so if you are here for Gendry/Arya I'm sorry. This particular fic is going to be Jon/Dany centric and any Arya/Gendry and Robb/Margaery it will only be references and brief. Also, if you couldn't tell from the tags, I used a '/' to signify a romantic relationship while the '&' signifies a non-romantic relationship.  
> Cheers!

The barn was ablaze by the time Robb, Jon and Theon got down to it. The tires of Robb's trucks squealed as he slammed on the breaks. Clouds of dust were billowing around Jon as he jumped out of the vehicle before Robb had even put it into park.

"Robb! Get the hose! Theon, go get the other farmhands, we may need their help! I'm going in to find Dad and Bran." Jon squared his shoulders and sped off into the barn without even waiting for a reply.

He inhaled smoke almost immediately and began coughing when he entered.  His eyes started watering, and it was tough to see, but he pushed forward, taking off his flannel shirt to cover his mouth. He searched for what seemed like an hour, but in reality was probably only minutes, before finding his father trapped under a fallen beam. The wood wasn't on fire, so Jon predicted he and his father could lift the beam off fairly easily.

"Dad!" He yelled, moving towards his father, but Ned was shaking his head violently.

"Bran! GET BRAN!" Jon spun to where his father's eyes were darting and found Bran on the ground unconscious, his leg was bending in a way that no leg ever should. Jon's heart sank; his brother looked so small and broken, even though he was fourteen years old. Covering his brother's mouth with the flannel, Jon scooped Bran up into his arms, stumbling at first, underestimating the weight. He turned back towards his father, but before Jon could say anything Ned interrupted him, "GO! NOW!"

Jon did his best to make his way back out of the barn, the smoke was getting thicker, and when he finally tasted fresh air, he felt dizzy and light headed. Theon and Robb sprinted up to him and Jon handed Theon Bran's limp body. Jon half coughed, half yelled at Theon to call an ambulance before grabbing Robb by the forearm.

"Dad's still in there!" They ran back towards the barn, Jon pumping his legs as fast as he could. Robb was slightly ahead of him, the smoke in his lungs slowing Jon down. He could see water streaming out of three separate hoses out of the corner of his eye.

_It's not enough_ , he thought sadly,  _it's not enough water_.

Just as Robb reached the door, Jon saw part of the roof begin to collapse.

"ROBB!" He screamed, he wasn't sure if it was to make Robb stop or go faster, but Robb halted just as the roof collapsed in on itself. Jon fell to his knees and continued coughing which turned into dry heaving.

_No_.

Arya came sprinting towards him tears in her eyes. The sight of her almost killed him, he wanted to run and hold her in his arms, but his strength was gone, all he could do was kneel in the dirt. Her small arms encircled his shoulders and they wept together.

* * *

The following week was a blur for Jon, his family took him to the hospital but he suffered nothing more than minor burns and was released after two days. Bran was doing much worse however, and didn't even wake up for four days.

Jon wept when he heard the news that Bran's spine was so damaged he would never walk again. He remembered Bran's lifelong dream of working with horses, training them for the racetrack. His little brother would never be able to even sit on a horse again.

The large white house grew silent. Each of his family memebers dealt with their grief in their own way.

Catelyn spent all of her time at the hospital, never leaving Bran's side. Jon's siblings set up a rotation so she was never alone.

Robb took their fathers truck into the back field and spun it around so many times that by the time he drove home there wasn't an area on the truck that was clean. 

Sansa cooked, cleaned and baked despite the fact that relatives, neighbors and friends were dropping off different kinds of casseroles constantly.

Arya sulked, picked fights with Sansa and played good, sad music that could be heard down in the kitchen.

Ghost, the family border collie, would wake up in the middle of the night and pace, his nails scraping against the hardwood floor reminding everyone that things had changed so much, even the dog couldn't sleep.

And Jon? He helped out around the farm and the house when he could. He washed Robb's truck, ate Sansa's lemon cakes, played mediator between the girls, and sat with Ghost until 3 am.

He was exhausted but could hardly sleep, so he kept himself busy. He did the only thing he knew how to do. 

He carried on.

* * *

Today was the day of the funeral, Bran was still in the hospital, but they couldn't put it off any longer, the seasonal workers would be moving in the next few days and crops didn't wait for you to bury your dead father.

“Damn it! Damn it all!” Jon punched his fist against the steering wheel to his truck repeatedly. Right there, he had been _right there_.

He wiped the hot tears from his face as he saw his siblings pulled up behind him. Jon had chosen to drive separately. He straightened his black tie and stepped out of the vehicle. A third car pulled into the parking lot with Catelyn at the wheel. Jon nodded in Robb's direction and walked towards the vehicle. 

Bran was slumped in the passenger seat, dark shadows under his eyes, and his hair in tangles. The hospital had given permission to take Bran out for a few hours, as long as there was a nurse present. The girl that stepped out of the back seat was pretty, and young, Jon suspected, especially for a nurse. She had brown eyes and chestnut curls, pulled back into a pony tail. She smiled at Jon before opening the trunk to retrieve a wheelchair.

"Hello, I'm Jon." He held out his hand once she had finished. 

"Jeyne." She shook Jon's hand rather timidly. 

"I want to thank you for being here today, I know it means a lot to my family, and it means a lot to me that Bran could be here." Jon told her this now, knowing she would probably be ignored for the rest of the day. He meant it though, he was grateful. 

Jon followed as the nurse wheeled Bran into the church. There was no one there yet, but it was still early. They had a calling hours the night before, and it was exhausting. So many people had shown up to pay their respects to Ned Stark that it had lasted about 3 hours. His father was not only loved amongst the community but respected. Jon wished he could be the same way, but half the people that showed up last night, Jon couldn't even remember who they were.

The service was long, and it was sad. There wasn't much else Jon could say about it. He hadn't been to a funeral for a long time, it was exactly what he expected. People cried, they wiped their tears with tissues and handkerchiefs. 

After, the family invited people back to the house, where Jon ate, drank and talked for hours. He actually laughed a bit when they got to the part where they were reminiscing all of the good memories. The best ones were told by Robert Baratheon, Ned's childhood best friend. The stories the man told reminded Jon of his own adventures with Robb. 

After a while though, the house grew hot, and unbearably crowded. Jon took a swig of whiskey before heading upstairs. He slowed his pace as he walked down the long hallway. Movement caught his eye at the end of the hallway, and Jon realized it was Bran's nurse going into Robb's bedroom.

Jon shrugged it off and made his way towards the impossibly white bathroom. So many thoughts were running through his mind. He stepped into the bathtub and sank down, his whiskey still in hand.

He thought about how his mother didn't even show up. It was probably for the better, Jon knew that Catelyn wouldn't have taken it well, but it still made him angry. He felt unimportant, like the relationship between his mother and father didn't even matter, so in turn, he didn't matter. 

He heard the door creak open, and quietly close. Jon sat up, and almost jumped when the shower curtain whipped aside. 

Arya's face stared down at him with steely grey eyes.

"Scooch." Arya stepped one foot into the bathtub as Jon slid back to make room for his sister. "Wasn't expecting anyone to be in here."

"Same." 

"This sucks." He watched Arya swipe thick bangs away from her eyes, only for them to fall back into place again. "I hate it. I'm just so tired, Jon. "

Jon felt relieved hearing her say these words. It was so exhausting to miss someone, to grieve, and to feel guilt. 

Arya reached for his whiskey, and Jon handed it to her, and when she took a swig, she coughed after swallowing the alcohol and handing it back to him. 

Jon dropped his head between his knees. 

"It was my fault, Arya, I saw....I saw him..."

"Don't be stupid." Arya said with a crack in her voice. When Jon looked up she was staring directly at him with intense eyes. 

"I just....if I moved faster..."

"No." Arya moved closer to him, not breaking her gaze. "Jon listen to me, you did the right thing, you freaking saved Bran's life, you can't tell me that saving our little brother's life was a fault of yours. That's complete bullshit and you know it."

Jon half-smiled, her words, and probably the whiskey, making him feel slightly better.

"Thank you, Arya."

"You're always doing the same for me." She shrugged and took one more sip of whiskey. "Hey I think we should-"

Arya stopped mid-sentence because there was a huge crash downstairs, followed by the chorus of scraping chairs along the wooden floor. 

Jon straightened his back to sit up, and heard more movement from downstairs followed by his stepmothers stern voice. 

"WHERE IS THAT DAMN NURSE."

"Bran!" Jon and Arya spoke at the exact same time and he scrambled to get up and out of the bathtub. 

Jon flung the door open, and turned toward the stairs, but Jeyne, Bran's nurse was already on her way down. Jon glanced behind him to see Robb rushing out of the bedroom buttoning up his shirt. 

Jon spun on his heels and turned to his brother, "You've got to be _fucking_ kidding me, Robb."

"Not now Jon." Robb spoke cooly, but when Jon looked his brother in the eyes, he only saw pain. 

"He's seizing! We need to clear the area around him." A voice carried from downstairs, causing Jon and his two siblings to race down the stairs. 

Jon was shocked, all the furniture had been strewn aside while people formed a rough circle. Bran was lying in the middle, the upper half of his body rigid and moving uncontrollably, but his legs remained eerily still. 

Both the nurse and Catelyn knelt next to Bran, not touching him, but just watching and waiting for the seizure to stop, and after a few moments, it did. 

Bran just lay there, quiet and still. 

Jon moved over to him and with Robb at his side, they lifted Bran back into his wheelchair. 

"We need to get him back to the hospital." The nurse was speaking to Catelyn, but Jon saw her eyes flash to Robb's more than once. 

Catelyn nodded, and turned towards Jon, "I have to go with him, you boys stay here, take care of everyone and come visit when you get the chance. I will try to keep you updated."

Jon sighed as he watched her wheel Bran out the door, with Jeyne at her side. 

Just after the trio passed through the door, a woman came in. She was wearing a black dress that fell to her knees and had long silvery blonde hair that cascaded over her shoulders. Following her was a short stocky man that had a lot of hair everywhere, dressed in a suit that he looked very uncomfortable in. 

When she stepped through the door Jon thought two things, that this woman was very beautiful and that he hated her.

_Follow your train to its last station_  
 _Follow, follow, follow_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Game of Thrones, all characters belong to GRRM and HBO.


	5. After The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Crying means you're weak." Arya's voice shook, giving away that she was about to break down again.  
> "Can I sit with you?"  
> Arya nodded and Dany climbed into the tub as Arya moved her legs aside to make room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cheers!

Daenerys felt eyes on her the minute she walked through the door. It wasn't a good feeling either, in fact, the feeling could be described as a punch in the chest. 

It was almost like she got the wind knocked out of her, he was staring at her so intensely...with such _hatred_. Dany stared back at him, her stubbornness and resolve kept her lavender eyes locked on his gray ones.

She knew who he was, of course, she had done her research. 

Jon Snow, son of Ned Stark, but not of Catelyn Stark.

He was twenty-two years old, graduated high school with a 3.2 GPA and had been working on his father's farm since he was thirteen. She suspected that this man knew more about Stark farms than anyone, he was the ultimate target, but Dany didn't approach him right away, she knew better. Instead she headed for Rodrick Cassel, the manager of the farm. 

He was a large man with a round belly and white whiskers on his chin. He was also one of the only people in the room that wasn't looking at her with disdain. He was looking at her, yes, but with less hatred than the others.

"Mr. Cassel, I'm-"

"I know who you are Ms. Targaryen."

"Oh please, call me Daenerys."

The man didn't so much as crack a smile, but he was speaking to her, which was more than she expected anyone to do when she came to the reception.

"Why are you here Daenerys?" She had to hand it to him, he was straight forward.

She gave her best smile, tilting her head up to meet the manager's eyes, "I was hoping you would have some time to talk business." Even as she said it, the words sounded absurd.

"Aye, why else would you be here." Rodrick shuffled his feet uncomfortably. "Unfortunately, Mrs. Stark had to escort her son back to the hospital, as I'm sure you saw. 

"I did, and it is unfortunate indeed, however I heard some rumors that the majority of the company was left to Mr. Starks children, and not his wife." 

Rodrick grew red in the face, out of anger or embarrassment Dany did not know. "I don't know where you would have heard those things."

"It doesn't really matter, does it Mr. Cassel?" Dany was growing impatient, and as she glanced around the room she noticed the shock of her entrance was wearing off. Most of the people in the room went back to the polite chatting and reminiscing. She spotted Jorah talking to a determined looking Robb Stark, just as she had asked him to. When Rodrick didn't reply, Dany decided she was wasting her time. 

"Mr. Cassel, I appreciate your time, and I am deeply sorry for your loss. Let me give you my card, and if you change your mind pleas do call me. I know that Targaryen Farms Incorporated can help, especially in a situation like this." She held out her white business card, and to her relief, the man took it. After firmly shaking his hand, Dany turned away, scanning the living room for the man who hated her. 

The walls of the room were a light green, with picture frames placed neatly on them. It looked just how a farm house was supposed to look on the inside. There were big couched and dozens of chairs scattered around with a hand crafted coffee table in the middle, a piano was tucked away in the corner

She scanned the faces, but found that Jon was no where in sight. 

 _Perfect_.

Dany had two choices now, stand awkwardly and wait for Jon to appear, or go find him. She chose the latter. 

Heading upstairs, there were family photos hanging on the wall, Dany didn't bother to stop to look at them. 

Dany walked down the long hallway, past at least six open doors and immediately began ascending the next set of stairs. The door at the top of the stairs was closed. Dany knocked three times and, not hearing anyone respond, she placed her hand on the doorknob and twisted. She found herself in the attic that had been converted into a bedroom.  

There was a messy, unmade bed in the corner, with no headboard and grey blankets. On the floor around it were scattered paperbacks, used and bent and probably read a hundred times. A simple table and chair stood opposite the bed, a stack of papers sat between a laptop and a lamp. There was a dresser with a few hats on it and nightstand, but other than that, the room was pretty bare.

She strode over to the makeshift desk. There were two framed pictures sitting at the back of the table. The first one was a picture of all of the Stark children at the beach, Dany guessed it was taken three or four years ago. It was a candid shot, of all of them building a sand castle together. Dany's stomach sank looking at the photograph, thinking of her relationship with Viserys.

The second photograph was of a very young Jon Snow, only nine or ten years old, but unmistakably him. He was wearing an army helmet and standing with a man in uniform. If she had to guess, it was probably Benjen Stark. Dany moved her gaze down to the papers that were stacked on the tab;e.

_**The Last Will and Testament of Eddard Stark** _

Dany was shocked to see it printed and in front of her very eyes. Now she could find out exactly who owned what part of the company, and use it to her advantage. She reached down her hand and flipped open the first page. 

"What the FUCK?" Dany whirled around startled by the sudden presence in the doorway.

"Oh! Mr. Snow, I-I was just looking for you. My name is-" Dany stumbled over the words as she tried to gain control of the situation.

"I know who you are, please get out." Despite his initial outburst there was no anger in Jon's voice now. Dany searched his expression and only saw pain and exhaustion.

"If I could just talk to you about Targary-"

"I do not have time to deal with this right now, in case you didn't notice I buried my father today, and there are a lot of people downstairs that expect me to talk to them. What I need right now is for you to walk downstairs, out to your fancy car, and drive back into the city." 

_Shit._

Dany closed her mouth and walked silently towards him. He shifted slightly so she could squeeze past him, and as she did so she said "I am very sorry for your loss Mr. Snow."

He didn't reply so Dany kept walking, intending to retrieve Jorah and leave as Jon had suggested, however, she heard a choking sob as she passed one of the doors. 

Knocking, Dany heard a quick sniffle before a muffled voice said "What do you want."

"Can I come in?"

"No."

"I really have to pee though!"

"There's a bathroom downstairs, through the kitchen and take a right." Dany though she heard a muffled _'stupid'_ but chose to ignore it.

"Yes, but, Mr. Baratheon went in there a while ago, he hasn't been out in at least 10 minutes."

Dany heard a stifled laugh, "Okay. _Fine_. Come in."

Dany opened the door and saw a small girl sitting in the bathtub with her hood up and red, puffy eyes. Her knees were drawn to her chest and tears were still streaming down the girls face.

"Who are you?" The girl looked at her, confused and a little bit accusing. 

"My name is Dany," she held out her hand, "pleased to meet you...?"

"Arya. Arya Stark. How did you know my father?" 

"Our families go way back, it's been a while though."

"Oh. Well, get on with it then."

Dany blinked at her.

"You said you had to pee."

"I don't, I just said that because I heard you crying and wanted to see if you were okay." Dany retorted, throwing some of Arya's bluntness back at her.

"I wasn't crying."

Dany gave the girl a pointed look, tears still welling in Arya's eyes

"I can't stop. It's so stupid, I feel...I don't even know...frustrated."

"It's okay you know."

"It's not okay, I'm supposed to be the strong one, I never cry, the only other person that has ever seen me cry is Jon."

"Arya, you lost your father today, I think people will understand if you are upset in front of them."

"Crying means you're weak." Arya's voice shook, giving away that she was about to break down again.

"Can I sit with you?" 

Arya nodded and Dany climbed into the tub as Arya moved her legs aside to make room. 

"My mother died when I was a little girl, I think I was nine, maybe ten years old. I was old enough to realize what happened, old enough to miss her, I didn't cry though." Arya looked at her suspiciously, but Dany continued. "I didn't. I saw other people crying, even my father, and it was hard, but I had gotten it into my head that I had to stay strong. It wasn't until a few years later, when my cat died that I just started sobbing. It hurt so much to bury that cat," Dany could actually feel tears welling in her eyes as she recalled the memory.

"I can remember asking my brother to come out for the service, and he did, reluctantly. We just buried her in the backyard, I picked wildflowers to lay on the grave, but when it came time to do it I couldn't. I remember screaming at the ground,

' _Why did you leave me?'_

_'Why did you have to go?'_

_'What did I do?'_

_'Come back. Come back. Come. Back.'_

No one really cared at that point, it was just a cat." Dany looked up at Arya and saw that tears were in the girls eyes. "But I cared. I stayed up all night weeping for that cat, and for my mother. I realized then that it's okay to cry, it's not stupid. From the moment you are born you begin to cry. It has never been a sign of weakness, but a sign of life, of breath and drive."

The two of them sat in silence for a few moments before Dany moved to leave. She carefully stepped out of the tub and opened the door, leaving Arya. 

"Thank you." Dany smiled as she heard Arya whisper the words to her as she closed the door behind her. 

She jumped as she nearly ran into a figure just outside the door, it was Jon Snow, of course.

"I'm leaving, I promise, I was just-"

"I'll give you a month to show me that this farm will be better off in your little incorporation. One month. You can stay here if you like, so you don't have to be commuting into the city, we have extra space. I expect you to show me exactly what will be happening, not on a computer, but on the orchard."

Dany was caught completely off guard by his proposal that she almost didn't have time to react.

"I can assure you that TFI will do wonders for Stark Farms, here is my card, call me tomorrow and we can set up something more official." 

"One month." He stepped forward looking her directly in the eyes.

"One month." She stepped forward as well, closing the distance so they were only inches apart, refusing to look away. He smelled good, like woods and fresh air. There was a little bit of stubble growing on his chin accentuating his jawline. Dany's heart started beating faster, and she broke their gaze to glance at his lips before regaining her composure and taking a step backward.

"Thank you for this opportunity Mr. Snow."

"Don't thank me yet, you still have a lot to prove." He smirked at her and turned to head upstairs.

 _Hmmm._  Maybe this would be more difficult than Dany expected.

_And there will come a time_  
 _With no more tears_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Game of Thrones, all characters belong to GRRM and HBO.


	6. Keep On Walking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I have a work release forms, my probation officer has been in contact with Ned Stark. I'm supposed to start a job at the orchard or something, I dunno I only spoke to the man once" Gendry walked forward as he spoke and handed the papers to Jon's outstretched hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello my name is kiwis and this fic is not dead  
> cheers!

Jon woke with a headache, hungover from the two glasses of whiskey he downed after everyone had left the house. 

He put his fingers up to his head, stroking his temples for temporary relief. He glanced at the clock next to him, it was 9:45 AM. The latest he had slept in a long time. 

He swung his feet onto the cold hardwood floor, grabbed a tee shirt hanging from his dresser, and began walking downstairs. Halfway down the third step, he realized that today was Sunday. None of his family members had woken them for church. 

An aroma of smells greeted him as he entered the kitchen, bright yellow from both the paint on the walls and the sunlight streaming in. 

"I smell bacon." He said as he sat down next to Arya at the kitchen table. 

"Would you like some?" Sansa strolled over to the table and slid some bacon onto his plate before sitting down at her own place at the table. 

"Where's Robb?" Jon assumed that Catelyn would be staying at the hospital with Bran, so he didn't ask about her. 

"He went with Theon to pick up a new seasonal, some guy whose name starts with a G...I can't remember the rest." Sansa answered.

The house was quiet with just the three of them, but the quiet had started to become normal. 

"Sansa, what happened to your cheek?" Jon caught a glimpse of a bruise forming on Sansa's upper right cheek, it looked like she had tried to cover it up with makeup. 

Sansa's hand flew up to stroke the spot, "Oh, that. I just...it's nothing."

Jon raised his eyebrows.

"Oh fine. I'm _so_ stupid, I was getting Lady out for a ride and when I was saddling her I flung one of the straps too hard and it whacked me in the eye. I'm so humiliated, so can we just drop it?"

Arya stifled a laugh, but Jon didn't buy his sister's story. Nevertheless, Jon wouldn't mention it again, but he wouldn't forget it either.

Jon heard the honking of a horn in the distance and after shoveling down the rest of the berries he stood.

"Well, time to go meet the new recruits. You guys want to come?" 

Sansa shook her head, but Arya stood crunching the last piece of bacon in her mouth, and followed him onto the porch.  

They walked across the lawn and hooked right to where a few trailers were set up for seasonal workers. 

There were trucks pulled in a semicircle, and Jon saw a few familiar faces as he strolled up. 

He shook hands with two guys who had worked on the farm for a few years, Pyp and Grenn, and nodded at the rest. Jon walked over to where Robb was sitting on the tailgate of his truck. 

"Do you want to talk to them?" Jon was certain that he would be taking on the responsibility of the farm while Robb was at school, but for now, Robb was here and Jon felt it was respectful to ask him. 

"Nah, I think you can handle it Jon." Robb replied genuinely, "Besides, they are going to have to get used to direction from you, might as well start now." 

Jon took a deep breath and stepped into the center of the semi circle, leaving Arya sitting on the tailgate next to Theon. 

"Welcome back, I'm seeing a lot of familiar faces here today and I want to thank you in advance for all of your help. We here at Stark Farms greatly appreciate everything you will be doing for us these next few months." Jon got nods of approval from his audience so he continued. "I'm sure by now, you've all heard about recent events concerning my father, the owner of this orchard. I want to assure you that I will do everything in my power to make sure things run smoothly around here." Jon  took a step forward, his voice becoming more steady as he spoke. "That being said, I'm going to need your help. Those of you that have worked her before, take the new hires under your wing, show them the ropes. Newbies, don't be afraid to ask questions." 

Jon saw a series of nods again, and was pleased. His father had always had a work hard attitude and Jon intended to maintain that policy. 

Jon heard a distant rumble and turned his head to see a black motorcycle speeding their way. 

Figuring he should wrap his little speech up anyway, he turned back towards the group. 

"Okay guys, once again thank you for coming out. Get settled in your trailers, and take the rest of the afternoon to get familiar with the farm. Come up to the farm house tonight we are going to have a barbecue for you all."

As the workers began heading towards their temporary homes, Jon pulled Pyp and Grenn aside. 

"Listen, I have a favor to ask you two."

"Sure." Pyp replied. 

"Anything." Grenn said. 

"Do you guys know anything about Targaryen Farms Incorporated?" Jon asked. 

The two men nodded, but didn't say a word. Jon continued, "One of their representatives will be spending some time with us, I will introduce you when she gets here, but I want you to keep an eye on her."

"Okay boss." Pyp agreed, but Grenn spoke up.

"Why?" 

"I don't exactly trust her, it's a long story. Anyway, just let me know if she is doing anything suspicious, okay?"

"Alright." Grenn agreed and the two headed off in the direction of their trailers, just as the motorcycle pulled up. 

The guy riding it looked to be about seventeen, and Jon idly wondered if Sansa knew him. He was dressed in jeans and a dark black tee shirt with work boots. 

He swung his leg over the motorcycle after he cut the engine. 

"Can I help you?" Jon called out. 

"Yeah, actually, you can." The boy pulled an envelope out of his pocket and walked towards the truck. "Name's Gendry, I'm looking for a Ned Stark. Do you know where I can find him?"

"What for?" It was Robb who spoke up first, obviously intrigued about why this kid- Gendry- didn't know that Ned Stark had died.

Gendry looked at them, confused. 

"I have a work release forms, my probation officer has been in contact with him. I'm supposed to start a job at the orchard or something, I dunno I only spoke to the man once" Gendry walked forward as he spoke and handed the papers to Jon's outstretched hand. 

"Ned Stark died a few weeks ago. My name is Jon I'm Ned's son, this is my brother Robb, sister Arya and that guy over there is Theon Greyjoy, one of our seasonal workers." Jon spoke and Gendry nodded to everyone as he introduced them. 

Jon flipped over the paperwork to reveal a contract for work release, a timesheet and other very official looking paperwork from the state. 

"My father never mentioned anything like this to me." Jon didn't know if he could handle another worry on top of the pile of work he had just been handed. "Gendry, I'm really sorry, due to recent circumstances, I don't think we can help you out."

" _Jon._ " Arya practically hissed at him.

"But listen, why don't you come back around dinnertime, we are having a barbecue and there will be plenty of food to spare." Jon offered, hoping it would appease his youngest sister.

"Thanks for the offer, but I better get back." Gendry's tone surprised Jon, it was almost as if the guy was expecting it. Like he was used to being disappointed.

"I'm sorry man, I'll call your probation officer and let him know of the situation." Gendry just nodded and turned and headed back to his motorcycle. 

Jon felt a tug at his arm and looked down at an angry Arya. 

"Jon, are you being serious right now?" he could tell she was angry but he wasn't quite sure why.

"Wait, Gendry!" Arya ran over to the boy. Arya spoke to Gendry fast and in low tones, Jon couldn't make out any of their conversation, so he started to walk towards them.

Arya turned and met him halfway, anger was beginning to well up inside of Jon. _What the fuck was going on?_

"Do you know him?" Jon asked as soon as Arya was in earshot. 

"No, well, sort of." Arya's voice was only slightly flustered. 

"Which is it?"

"I met him once when he and his parol officer came down to visit dad. Listen, Jon, he really needs this. When I was kicked out of the meeting room, I jung out and evesdropped on the rest of their conversation."

"Jesus, Arya..."

"Don't interrupt, stupid." Arya cut him off and continued. "Something big is happening with him, I don't know what but this is his last chance. He needs us Jon and Dad wouldn't want you to turn him away." 

Jon contemplated what she just said, and Robb came to join them. 

"You know, come to think of it, I remember Dad talking to Mom about this. She was all worried because he has been in and out of juvie for most of his childhood. I think we can get a trailer for him." Robb spoke up, seemingly nonchalant about the whole ordeal. 

"Okay, okay, alright." Jon looked up at the teenager waiting on his motorcycle. His gut reaction was telling him no, but Jon knew the guy needed a break, needed the benefit of the doubt. "Let me show you around."

* * *

 

That night they set up tables of food and a large bonfire in the side yard. The seasonal workers came to feast with them, some lived close by and brought their families. 

Sansa had worked practically all day to cook everything from potato salad to sweet corn, and when the time came Robb grilled barbeque chicken, burgers and hotdogs.

Pitchers of sweet tea were passed around and ice cold beers were cracked open. Jon remembered laughing for the first time in weeks when Pyp stood up with a banjo and started singing wildly off key. 

When all was said and done, Jon let Ghost out of the house and made the long walk up to the Wall. 

He looked up at the sky and into the universe, thinking about all that was to come. 

He thought about how strange it was that his father had never mentioned this criminal teenager to him, and he thought about how work was going to go tomorrow with all the new hands. 

Mostly he thought about Daenerys Targaryen, and in that split second moment when he decided she deserved a chance. Why? 

Jon couldn't think of the reason and when he started thinking about her silvery hair and lavender eyes, he decided it was time to go to bed.

One thing was for sure. He was going to have a busy harvest season.

_Seems I’m talking my whole life_  
 _It’s time I listen now_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow i'm not too happy with how this chapter ended.  
> ugh i'm so sorry for the lack of quality in this fic  
> i'm trying i've just been so busy  
> feel free to destroy me haha
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Game of Thrones, all characters belong to GRRM and HBO.


	7. Storm Warning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys looked at Jon's face while Sansa went on about the farms problems, with every sentence his face grew more wary, more tired. For a moment Daenerys wanted to take over, she wanted to step in and give orders on what to do when, order new equipment, and just let Jon rest. She didn't however, she wasn't that stupid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, so after the next chap I will be starting a spin-off fic that takes place in the same AU, so look out for that yeah! I also want to write at least two more in the series, but I really want to finish this first.  
> cheers!

Dany jolted awake.

The red hue of her clock read 3:49 AM.

_Ugh_

A combination of fear and anxiety rushed through her. 

What had she gotten herself into?

She tiptoed out of bed, and into her kitchen where she drank a full glass of water before stepping over to the window. 

The soft orange glow from the lamps lit the streets enough for Dany to be able to see. 

Down the street on the corner was a little bakery she liked to visit in the mornings on her way to work. Most of the time she just ordered coffee, black, scalding hot, but sometimes she would splurge and buy an everything bagel with veggie cream cheese.

Around the corner and down three blocks was the park where Dany did her ritual four mile run. It was a park, green and peaceful. It gave Dany a break from the fast paced grey city life. 

She contemplated getting dressed and going out for a run now, to calm her nerves, but another glance at the clock stifled those plans. 

Dany thought next about calling one of her friends, but she had chosen to go to school overseas, and over the years of not seeing each other, plus the time difference, her and her friends had grown apart. 

Finally, Dany decided to get in the shower, cranking the dial to the hottest temperature. The water felt soothing on her skin, and she immediately felt like she made the right decision. 

Today was the day, she would take most of her belongings and move into a trailer for about four weeks. 

She hadn't been on a farm for more than a day in, well, Dany couldn't remember the last time, it had to be at least four or five years. 

Earlier that evening, Daenerys went through all of her proposals, power points and business plans.

She had everything planned out from the transition into the corporation down to the price of each individual apple.

So far, the plans had convinced every other manager of the farms she had met with.

But the Stark Farms would be different, she could sense that. 

 _He_ would be different.

Daenerys thought a lot about how to approach Jon Snow. He frustrated her to no end, mostly because she couldn't figure him out. 

He wouldn't respect her charts or power points, he needed to see the changes firsthand.

If she needed to earn his respect, she would earn it. 

Dany thought about the strange evening she had at the Stark's farm house. 

When she closed her eyes she could see his expression, his dark features mistrusting her from the beginning. 

Then, slightly embarrassed that she was thinking about this man looking at her while she was naked in the shower, Dany shut the water off and pushed Jon Snow from her mind. 

She walked around her apartment in a towel, putting coffee in the coffee maker and blowdrying her hair. She was mostly packed, and after breakfast she would load her belongings into her car and make the three hour trip up north. 

She took one last look around her apartment before closing the door behind her. 

* * *

She reached the white farmhouse at 9:00AM sharp. Dany was jittery, whether it was from nerves or from too much coffee she couldn't tell. 

She noticed that no one was around as she ascended the stairs and opened the screen door before knocking on the door behind it. 

When no one answered, Dany waited a few seconds before knocking again. 

"Hello?" she called, "Mr. Snow?"

The door opened abruptly and Daenerys had to take a step back. 

A young girl wearing an apron with a wooden mixing spoon in her hand, Dany recognized her as Jon's sister, Sansa.

"Hi." Sansa looked at her with suspicion. 

"Hello, I'm Daenerys Targaryen, I am here to help out for the next few weeks. Is Mr. Snow around?"

At that the girl laughed, sounding genuine. 

"I've never heard anyone call him Mr. Snow before, even all the workers just call him Jon. I suppose I should get used to it though, a lot of people used to call my dad Mr. Stark." Sansa flicked some auburn hair away from her eyes, and stepped aside. "Jon is out working right now, did he know you were supposed to meet him?"

"Yes." Dany replied immediately as she stepped into the old farmhouse that was familiar, but still uncomfortable for her.

"Then I'm sure he will be along, come on inside I'm just finishing up some of my famous peach pie." Sansa smiled, but Dany could tell the girl was still reserved about her presence. She began to wonder if Jon told anyone about her. 

Dany waited for him, and with every passing minute she grew a little more impatient. 

When Dany was about to get up to go outside, after she had finished her lemonade that had been practically forced upon her, Sansa spun around. 

"So, what are you really doing here? I've never seen you before." 

Dany inhaled and exhaled deeply before replying. 

"I am a partner in Targaryen Farms Incorporated, have you heard of it before?" Sansa pondered the name before shaking her head no. "I spoke to your brother at your father's funeral-"

"Half brother." Sansa cut her off, and Daenerys pondered this interjection. Did the girl share the same distaste as her mother for Jon simply for being born? "I'm sorry that was rude, he is still my brother, I just-it's habit." Sansa apologized, looking flustered. Dany shook it off and kept speaking. 

"I spoke to Jon at your father's funeral, and we came to an agreement that TFI could be a very wise decision on your family's part, considering recent events. Although, he asked me to come here and see the farm for myself, tell him exactly what would be changing and what the benefits are, so...here I am."

Sansa eyed Daenerys in such a way that made Dany stop thinking of her as a little girl. 

Sansa opened her mouth to speak, but just as she was about to, the screen door slammed shut and Dany heard footsteps coming down the hallway. 

Jon Snow came into the kitchen looking tired and rugged. He had a handkerchief pulled out and was wiping his brow. 

Dany, startled both by his entrance and his appearance, looked down to compose herself before standing to greet the man. 

"Mr. Snow," she held out her hand, "I've been waiting to see you." She hoped he would notice the edge in her voice. Even though she wanted Stark Farms to sign over, she wouldn't be treated like shit for it. 

He took her hand and shook it briefly before letting go. 

"I'm sorry to keep you, the farm is a huge responsibility, I had a lot of work to do this morning."

Daenerys remained silent, she couldn't tell if Jon was being serious or not. She hated that, normally she could come into a room and know exactly what people were thinking and feeling. She also realized she relied too much on people respecting her for her name, for her family. This would be entirely different. 

Sansa stepped forward, turning towards Jon, her red curls swinging loosely around her shoulders, Dany noticed just how much she looked like her mother. 

"Jon, Dr. Luwin called from the hospital, Rodrick needs you to meet up with him about a new workhorse he is looking into, and Pyp was up here earlier looking for you, something about a broken flail mower..."

Daenerys looked at Jon's face while Sansa went on about the farms problems, with every sentence his face grew more wary, more tired. For a moment Daenerys wanted to take over, she wanted to step in and give orders on what to do when, order new equipment, and just let Jon rest. She didn't however, she wasn't that stupid, instead she put a hand on Jon's shoulder. 

"Mr. Snow, I can just go get set up in my trailer, we can do a tour of the farm tomorrow, or I can ask someone else to do it." She spoke up, ignoring the tingling in her hand. 

He turned and she casually let her arm drop to her side.

"No, Ms. Targaryen," she flinched at the use of her surname, "I planned a meeting with you and I am already late, I can show you around the farm, these matters can wait an hour or two."

Dany just nodded and followed Jon out of the room, but she stopped suddenly when an idea came to mind. 

"I'm sorry, I think I forgot something in the kitchen," she spoke to Jon, "I'll meet you outside?"

He nodded and continued on while Dany spun on her heels and headed back towards the kitchen. 

"Sansa?" The girl spun around, she had a streak of flour on her face which accentuated her cheekbones even more, if that was possible. "I think it might be a good idea to sell your pies. We can talk more if you are interested, but just think about it for now." Dany turned before Sansa could even respond. 

Daenerys caught up with Jon outside, he was waiting for her by his truck. 

"Did you find it?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Did you find what you left?"

"Oh, yes, I did." Daenerys replied, flustered. 

Jon walked around the truck and opened the passenger door for her. Dany had to grab the handle of the seat to hoist herself up into the truck, and she shifted to get comfortable in the tan leather seats. 

Jon hopped up into the driver's seat and the engine started with a rumble. 

"So, I was just going to give you a tour of the farm before dropping you off to get settled at your trailer. Are you ready to start work tomorrow?"

"Yes. That sounds great."

"Okay, I haven't been able to get out to the fields as much as I have wanted to lately, so you can report to Pyp and Grenn. They are two workers here who have been here for a few seasons, I'm sure they will have some work for you, and they should be able to answer any basic questions about the farm."

Dany nodded at him and then turned her head to look out the window. 

The rest of the ride was spent in mostly silence, with Jon pointing out certain features of the farm, but Dany didn't mind.

She had never been around the farm before, and she enjoyed seeing the landscape. There was something about the area that felt old, like there had been people farming there for generations. The barns stood tall and strong, of all different colors, but Dany's favorite was the light blue one, the paint faded and cracked that was on the edge of the small dairy cattle pasture.

When she looked out the other window, there were rows and rows of apples, as far as she could see. She imagined what it would be like to ride a horse in the orchard, zigzagging between the trees. 

She made a silent promise to herself that she would experience that before she left. 

When they turned a corner, she caught a glimpse of a structure on top of the hill. 

"What's up there? Is that the edge of the property?"

"Yes. It's an old stone wall that runs down through the woods, they used it to keep sheep in when the farm was first built."

"It must be an amazing view." Dany stated, wishing they could go up there and gaze at the farm as a whole.

"We can go up there if you like Ms. Targaryen." 

Dany turned to face him a teasing smile on her lips. 

"Mr. Snow, when am I going to get you to stop calling me Ms. Targaryen and call me Dany, or at least Daenerys, please."

"As soon as you start calling me Jon." He kept his eyes on the road as he spoke. 

"I would love to see the farm from the wall, Jon." She saw his lips turn up slightly when she said his first name, and for the first time with Jon Snow, Daenerys found herself feeling comfortable with him.

_She rolled in from the west in a summer sun dress_  
 _I'm gonna wish I had a storm warnin'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. The lyrics at the end/name of the chapter are a preview of next chapter :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Game of Thrones, all characters belong to GRRM and HBO.


	8. And It Spread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little by little summer slipped into fall. The leaves on the trees turned to colors like rust, ruby and deep yellow, and the air changed, it became noticeably cooler. On some mornings when Jon woke up, he could see his breath when he exhaled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys,  
> so I love the idea for this fic, and I want to make sure it is done right, so that's why it takes me so long between chapters.  
> that being said, I did start up school and things have been getting hectic, but thanks for reading/sticking with this story.  
> cheers,  
> kiwis

The next two weeks passed in a structured haze. Jon woke up early, milked the cows, came home to a series of calls that he had to return, returned the calls, checked on the workers...it seemed to go on and on.

Little by little summer slipped into fall. The leaves on the trees turned to colors like rust, ruby and deep yellow, and the air changed, it became noticeably cooler. On some mornings when Jon woke up, he could see his breath when he exhaled. 

Robb went back to school about a week after Dany had arrived, and Sansa and Arya started at the high school a few days later. Sansa was going into her last year, while Arya was starting her sophomore year.

Bran wouldn't be starting back until next semester at the high school, but he would be getting tutored in the semi-permanent room that the hospital set up. The farmhouse was not prepared at all to take a wheelchair, but Jon had plans in the works, hoping Bran could be home by Christmastime. Catelyn spent more time at home now, but not nearly as much as she used to. 

Jon could tell that she would never look at the farm, or him, the same way again. 

He pushed the thought from his mind, focusing on the task at hand. 

He was brushing down his horse, getting ready to go out into the orchard. 

The most important thing, at least to the Stark's, when autumn came, was that the apples began to ripen. 

The ripe fruit would be picked in hoards and shipped off to various grocery stores around the country. Some of the apples would be sent to factories to become juice and cider, but most of the time, the apples were sold simply as fruit.

"Need any help?" A voice startled him in the doorway of the stall and he looked up to see Dany standing there in jeans, a button-down and work boots. Jon contemplated her offer, his instinct was to say 'No, thanks for the offer though.' as he had so many times before, but the long list of things to do was looming, and having an extra hand would help quite a lot.

"Sure, saddle up."

Without a word, Dany left him alone to finish saddling his own horse, and when he finally led the beast out of the stall, she was waiting there with a dapple gray horse.  

"Have you ridden before?" Jon asked, mostly to be polite, but partially because he was curious. 

"Oh yes, I used to ride when I was a kid up until I was about fifteen. I love it, it is one of my favorite things to do in the whole world."

"What made you stop?"

"I-uh-my family moved into the city." Her tone suggested to Jon that this was a sore subject. He didn't have to be told twice not to mention it again.

When they led their horses outside Jon was startled to see that the sky had darkened, and large clouds were rolling in from the north. 

"We should get moving, we don't want to get caught in the storm."

She nodded at him and mounted her horse, and Jon followed suit.

The next hour they spent inspecting trees, apples and rows. They rode in and out silently, and Jon was pleased to see that the apples were shaping up very nicely. Red was showing on the majority of the crop, and they would be ripe enough for harvest in the next week or two. Right on schedule. 

At least this part of his life was going right. 

"So why haven't you tried to proposition me with any of your fancy business plans?" Jon asked, finding it curious that Dany had been alone with him for this long without even mentioning TFC.

She was silent for a while, and Jon didn't know how to interpret that. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.

"I guess I figured we could talk when you were ready to, I don't want to push you into anything."

Jon snorted, two weeks ago she had pushed and pushed until he had no other choice. 

"I mean it Jon," Dany spoke again, "I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think it was the best decision for both Stark Farms as well as TFI."

"I know." Jon replied, and he realized as he said it that he did believe her. 

A bright flash of lightening ripped through the sky tearing Jon's eyes away from Daenerys. 

His horse shifted restlessly underneath him. 

"Easy boy..." Jon patted his mounts neck. "We better get a move on and get back to the barn." He looked over at Dany, who was leaned over her own horse whispering calming words into it's ear. 

Low rumbles of thunder began as Jon set off at a trot towards the horse barn, assuming Dany would just follow him. 

He could feel the temperature dropping as they headed off, and Jon was sure the wind began picking up awfully quickly. 

Slowly, he felt droplets of rain against his bare arms like little pinpricks, but within a few minutes the rain beat in heavy waves on his skin. He urged his horse to a gallop and Daenerys followed in suit. 

Lighting flashed across the sky as they reached the barn and Jon struggled to lead his horse directly into the barn. The doors were flapping wildly and the horse was spooked. Finally, he dismounted slowly and led the horse into the barn and quickly into the stall. Being in a closed familiar area the beast calmed down and Jon was able to run to the doors to hold the, open for Dany to get her horse into the building.

Her face was hard with concentration as she moved her legs and arms strategically to lead the horse into the barn. Jon held the door open, using just about all of his strength to fight against the wind. When he saw the last inch of horse trot through the door he swung it shut bringing a large board down to lock it from the inside.

He was soaked from head to toe, and his socked squished inside his boots as he walked over to the stall where Dany was leading her horse. 

She pushed wet blonde hair stuck to her forehead out of the way when she turned around to face him, shivering slightly. 

"I think we have some old clothes in here somewhere, maybe a few blankets." Jon said out loud as he started to feel goosebumps rise on his own forearms. 

"I'm okay, thanks." She replied, and Jon resisted the urge to roll his eyes. The light flickered overhead, and the already dark barn grey even dimmer. Jon grabbed a large flashlight from the tack room and moved towards the other end of the building. 

"C'mon, we have a bunch of things in storage down here, it might be safer if we went to the basement anyway." He didn't wait for her reply but Jon felt her behind him as he began to descend the stairwell into the blackness. Thunder crashed above them, and Jon flicked the switch to the flashlight, illuminating a small portion of the room they had just entered. 

Jon found some old sweatpants and flannels that had belonged to his father he grabbed a few things and then, leaving the flashlight, ascended the stairs and stripped his wet clothing off, hanging it over the door to one of the empty horse stalls. He waited a few minutes before going back downstairs. 

She was standing there, practically swimming in the clothing she was wearing, inspecting the large machine that had been stored there  Jon noticed she had 

"What's this for?" She asked Jon without even a glance backward. 

"It's the cider press."

"Is it broken?" 

"No."

"Why is it down here?" Her curiosity seeped through in her words. 

"When we were at our largest, we used to press the apples for cider, but it became too much of an overwhelming job, so now we ship the apples elsewhere to become pressed for juice and cider, and the machine was moved down here." Jon didn't mention that sometimes he came down here to clean and repair the machine so it wouldn't rust. 

She didn't say anything, she just kept inspecting the machine before turning to face him, walking forward slowly. 

"There's no rust." 

Jon nodded. 

"I have an idea." 

"I don't know if this is the time or place to get into this right now Ms. Targaryen."

The use of her surname was surprising, even to Jon as he said it, and he could see Dany's eyebrows raised. 

"Mr. Snow, you won't even hear out my ideas?" 

Her voice was hard, distant. Jon hated the way it sounded. He sank against the wall, resting his elbows against his knees. 

"I'm sorry," he sighed, bringing his hand up to his face letting his thumb and index finger rub his eyes. "I've just had so much on my plate lately, I've been so overwhelmed." 

He heard the floor boards creak as Dany walked over and sank down to the floor next to him. 

They were both quiet for a moment before Dany reached her hand over and pulled Jon's hand away from his face. 

"Let me help you." In the weeks that he had grown to know this woman, he had never seen her like this, her expression softened, her eyes filled with concern. 

He kissed her. 

She kissed back. 

Jon shifted and put a rough hand on her cheek and moved it to her hair. It was still a little wet from the downpour, but it still felt like silk as Jon ran his fingers through it. 

Her hands moved to his chest, and their kisses grew more intense, their lips almost clashing together as they moved. 

And, as quickly as they started, they stopped. 

Jon couldn't be sure who pulled away first, but he was sure that his lips were tingling, and that if he could, he would kiss her again. 

 _Shit._ He thought.  _This can't be good._  

_you took my hand and held it up_  
and shot my arm full of love  
 _and it spread into my heart_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Game of Thrones, all characters belong to GRRM and HBO.


	9. Stars & Satellites

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They worked for a few hours, until the moon was high and the stars were bright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've missed this so much  
> kiwis

Dany couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss. She was unsure if she should say something or if she should wait. What was protocol again? It had been a while since she had dated, and even then Daario had been so forthright in asking her out she didn’t have to ponder what the possibility of one kiss meant. 

She followed Jon climbing the stairs as the storm slowed to a stop. Dany wondered if Jon was thinking the same things she was.  

Jon’s shoulders sank when they got outside, giving Dany the answer - he definitely was not. 

The storm had whipped through the orchard causing minimal damage to most of the farm, but a lot of damage to two rows of trees. Limbs and small apples were strewn across the grass. 

Dany surveyed Jon as he lifted his arms resting his hands on top of his head in despair, gazing out at the damaged property. 

“It’s not as bad as I was expecting.” Dany finally spoke aloud, and it was true. With the wind speed as high as it was, she surely expected more damage to the apple trees. 

Jon didn’t turn to face her as he spoke, “what did I do to deserve this?” The words were so soft that Dany couldn’t tell if they were meant for her ears. She didn’t respond until he turned to face her. There was a flicker of an emotion on his face, too fast for Dany to recognize what it was, before a look of determination took over. 

“It’s getting too dark to do anything about this now, we’ll have to deal with this first thing tomorrow morning. It'll throw our work schedule off so I'll have to work something out tonight...” 

“Jon, I...” Dany began to search for words but none were coming to mind. 

“You’re right." He cut her off. "It could have been worse. We’re lucky no trees blew over. Lucky that we lost pretty much two whole rows of limbs and fruit.” His tone was clipped and despite her protests, hurt her. 

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow morning bright and early then.” She spun on her heels walking back to her trailer. 

On the way back to her makeshift home for the month, Dany realized that she was hurt by his words because in the past week, she felt like her and Jon had formed a friendship. One where he trusted her. She wished that he would reach out to her when he felt overwhelmed with the business - that was really what she was there for anyway.

When she finally reached her trailer she looked back and Jon was still standing in the same spot, gazing out at the orchard. 

* * *

 

Instead of climbing back into her trailer, Dany immediately went to the one next to hers, Grenn’s, and knocked on the door. 

She quickly explained her plan to a bleary eyed Grenn before heading out to the rest of the trailers. 

She was satisfied with the participation in her plan when she walked up to the last trailer. Dany could hear the indie music playing even before Gendry opened the door. 

“Hey.”

“Hey, can I come in for a second? It’s important.” Dany hadn’t had much interaction with Gendry in the last week and she really couldn’t get a read on him. 

“Sure.” He shrugged running his hands through his dark hair, his blue eyes flicking behind him before opening the door wider. 

Dany was surprised to see Arya sitting in the small booth in Gendry’s trailer with a deck of cards and a beer open next to her. There was another one of the seasonal workers there sleeping on the couch, a rotund teenager Arya called ‘Hot Pie’.

“I need your guys’ help. The storm practically ruined two rows of the Galas and Jon was devastated.” 

Arya stood up immediately and shook Hot Pie awake. She was halfway out the door with Dany and Hot Pie when she turned back around.

“Are you coming, stupid?” 

Dany saw Gendry and Arya share a look before he simply nodded and grabbed two headlamps from his backpack and following them out. 

While they were on their way back to the barn to meet the rest of the group Dany felt a small tug on her wrist. She slowed down so that Gendry and Hot Pie were walking ahead of the two girls. 

“About the beer…” Arya was looking determinedly at the ground. 

Dany cut Arya off before she could say anymore, “Listen Arya, I’m not going to bust you and I’m not going to yell at you.” 

Arya looked up at her, relief flooding her features. 

“But, I am going to warn you. You’re underage, and it’s dangerous. Gendry is- well I don’t know much about Gendry but I just want you to be careful.” 

“Okay.” Arya gave her a small smile and Dany felt her heart reach out to the girl. She didn’t know exactly what Arya was going through but she had been in a similar situation, losing her mother and having a father who was never around. 

They quickly caught up with the rest of the workers who were standing right near the barn that Dany had walked away from an hour ago. 

She looked around at the people before her, all hardworking and loving people who came out here late at night to help her. 

_No_ , she thought, _to help Jon_. 

Dany had grown to know these people even in the short amount of time she had been at Stark Farms. She had learned about Tormund’s family and laughed with him over all the weird habits of his kids. She had met Grenn’s girlfriend one night, learned about Pyp’s aspirations to be a singer and giggled with Gilly over her schoolgirl crush on the Stark Farms accountant, Sam. 

However, as friendly as they were, Dany could still feel a wall up between her and the other workers. She heard the hesitation in their voices when she asked personal questions, and they almost never asked questions back. 

Dany glanced up at the farmhouse seeing a light on in the kitchen. She held her breath for a moment seeing a light on in the kitchen before releasing it when she saw Sansa standing at the kitchen sink washing dishes and bobbing her head to music. 

Dany sighed relieved, and turned her attention back to the group of ten or so people who had come to help. 

“Thank you all for coming out tonight - I know it’s late and I really appreciate all of your help.” 

“...”

“As you all know a storm blew through here a few hours ago and almost destroyed two rows of trees. If we can get the work done tonight we won’t be off schedule for tomorrow.” 

She got nods from the group as she said this and Grenn walked up beside her carrying headlamps and lanterns. 

Between Dany and Grenn they were able to divide the group up and give them tasks.

They worked for a few hours, until the moon was high and the stars were bright. It wasn't hard work, it was simply tedious and the dark didn't help anything. Dany was taking a water break when she looked up and saw a shooting star streak across the sky.

_Make a wish_ , she thought to herself. 

“It’s different from the city out here isn’t it.” 

Dany jerked her head down, startled. In the past few minutes she had been staring up at the night sky and she hadn’t realized that Gendry had come to stand next to her.

“It is. It’s beautiful out here.”

They stood in silence for the next few moments and Dany noticed that headlamps were switching off and the chatter and sounds of working was slowly dying down as people packed up and headed back to their trailers or homes. 

“Looking at the stars make me think of home, of where I grew up.” Dany’s voice was full of emotion and she wasn’t sure why she was telling a stranger this. 

A flood of memories came to Daenerys as she thought of home, memories of growing up on Targaryen Ranch, running through the fields barefoot, fresh lemonade on the front porch, catching fireflies in the heat of June when the nights got cool. Her brother Rhaegar’s golden hair and laughter as he rode horses through the woods. Her mother’s caress as she sang Dany to sleep in the big farmhouse that had been in their family for generations. 

“I miss it.” 

Tears were silently streaming down her face now, clear and salty as the wet her cheeks, lips and chin. 

Gendry didn’t say anything, he just put a soothing hand on her back, gently leading her back toward the trailers. 

When they finally reached Dany’s door she gave Gendry a hug.

“Be careful with Arya, please. She deserves the world.”

“I know.” 

Satisfied, and empty of tears, Dany climbed back into her trailer and fell into a dreamless sleep. 

__ It won’t be long before I’m on my own  
_ I’m hoping that the stars and satellites  
_ __ will always bring me home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Game of Thrones, all characters belong to GRRM and HBO.


End file.
